(a) An endangered tribe has developed a severe skeletal deformity. A university research has identified a mineral supplement as a possible remedy, though clinical trials are yet to be conducted. Should the District Magistrate (DM) use this research o

Question

(a)

An endangered tribe has developed a severe skeletal deformity. A university research has identified a mineral supplement as a possible remedy, though clinical trials are yet to be conducted. Should the District Magistrate (DM) use this research on the tribe? Discuss from the perspective of medical and administrative ethics. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

(b)

Discuss how national security can be balanced with concerns of human rights. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

(b) Discuss how national security can be balanced with concerns of human rights. (Answer in 150 words) 10

UPSC Answer Check · Accepted Answer

(a) Administering an untested supplement to an endangered tribe violates core medical ethics of non-maleficence (do no harm) and genuine informed consent, raising serious concerns of medical paternalism and exploiting vulnerable groups as de facto trial subjects. Administratively, the District Magistrate’s duty of due diligence prohibits unilateral rollouts of unvalidated research. Beneficence cannot bypass institutional safeguards, and an endangered community's survival makes the cost of error irreversible. Therefore, the DM must not authorize direct distribution, but should instead coordinate with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and institutional ethics committees to facilitate a strictly regulated, scientifically monitored clinical trial with community-level informed consent, as required by the ICMR National Ethical Guidelines (2017) for vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, the DM should provide proven care, such as orthopaedic treatment and nutrition, and investigate the cause, for example water or dietary deficiency.

(b) National security and human rights are interdependent goods rather than a binary zero-sum trade-off. Overreaching state power under statutes like AFSPA or UAPA risks using security as a pretext for rights violations, eroding democratic trust and state legitimacy. Typical tensions include surveillance versus privacy, preventive detention versus due process, and internet shutdowns versus free expression. Yet security is itself a precondition for the right to life, so rights cannot be absolute either. To harmonize them, state actions must satisfy the K.S. Puttaswamy proportionality standard: measures must be lawful, pursue a legitimate aim, and be necessary and least restrictive; they should also, where possible, be time-bound through sunset clauses and subject to robust judicial oversight, as in Anuradha Bhasin (2020) on internet shutdowns. Independent bodies such as the NHRC, parliamentary scrutiny and sensitised forces complete the balance and preserve constitutional freedoms.

(a) An endangered tribe has developed a severe skeletal deformity. A university research has identified a mineral supplement as a…

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